Come HomeSlow Decay
by DontAvadaSnuffles
Summary: Post-DH Arthur refuses to let Percy seperate himself further from the family and goes to talk with him.


Come Home/Slow Decay

Summary: Post-DH. Arthur and Percy talk.

A/N: I own NOTHING. (I know, what a shock.) Arthur, Percy, and everything Harry Potter related belong to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. This is originally a songfic, but seeing as having lyrics to songs that already exist in the story is not allowed, I am trying to comply with the rules. This song was inspired by the song "Slow Decay" by Dashboard Confessional. It's an amazing song and I encourage everybody to check it out. With that, I hope you enjoy the story.

The war had ended just a few days ago. Voldemort was defeated and people were celebrating. Or rather, people should have been celebrating, but many were grieving for those who fell that day. The Weasley family was in the latter camp. They were mourning their loss of Fred, even though it felt like they were mourning for Percy too. Percy finally started to see sense again, but he still wouldn't come home. The eldest Weasley took it into his own hands to make sure he and his wife did not lose another son, and that his other children didn't lose another brother.

To Arthur Weasley, everything just felt so surreal as he walked the familiar halls of the Ministry of Magic. He looked around, seeing everybody working and trying to fix things. He thought they should be home with their families, but then again, someone had to keep everything together. Even though Arthur was not there on work related business (he was taking time off for a while), he felt like the other people working, trying to fix things, too. He walked a little bit further before he reached an open door. Percy's office.

Arthur took a breath and looked inside the door. Percy was packing up his office, slowly and carefully as was his way of doing anything. However, Percy did not look like his usual self. His red hair was askew, his robes wrinkled. Arthur sighed inwardly at the sight of his son, who before the war would never think of going anywhere looking like that. But now it was if he didn't care anymore. Arthur knocked on the door to alert Percy of his presence.

Percy jumped slightly in surprise to see that he had company. He hastily ran a hand across his eyes and looked away again. However, Arthur noticed that Percy's eyes were red and puffy.

"Hi, Dad," Percy said gruffly.

"Hi, Perce...can I come in?" Arthur quietly asked.

"The door's open isn't it?"

Arthur nodded a little and walked inside the office. He glanced around.

"So...what are you going to do now that you're done at the Ministry?" Arthur asked, trying to ease the tension a bit.

"Haven't decided. Gringott's maybe."

"That would be good...you'd do well there."

Percy sighed. "Dad, what did you really come down here for? I know you weren't just curious about my career plans."

"No, I wasn't..."

"Then what do you want?" Percy asked looking up at Arthur.

"I want you to come home with me, son. We all want you to come home."

Percy shook his head, focusing on a box as he sealed it up.

"No. I can't go home."

"Yes you can, Percy. You just won't." This statement had come out harsher than Arthur meant it to. But he had to make Percy realize that home, even if it wasn't the same as he remembered it, was where he needed to be. Where the family _needed_ him to be.

Percy looked up, surprised at the harshness in his father's voice.

"Dad..."

"Percy, I'm sorry, it wasn't supposed to come out that way, but I need you to listen to me. We all miss you. Your mother still has your school picture from your seventh year on the wall. I look at that picture and I think of how you were then. Determined, strong...and I look at you now and you're eyes look...haunted. It's not just the family that needs you, but you need us, too."

"Dad..." Percy whispered. "you don't understand that I just _can't_ go home..."

"And why not, Percy? What is keeping you from us?"

"I can't face George...or any of you really...but George..." Percy's voice broke.

Arthur closed the gap between himself and his son. He placed a hand on Percy's shoulder. Firm, but comforting.

"Son, I know it's hard...but George isn't mad at you. None of us are."

"I was with Fred...I was right there! I should have been able to save him!" Percy said, crying freely now. "I failed, Dad...I failed..."

Arthur felt tears sting his eyes, but he had to stay strong for now. Even though it broke his heart to see Percy in so much pain, and feel so much guilt about Fred's death. Arthur pulled Percy closer to him, hugging him tight, and Percy returned the embrace.

"Percy Weasley, listen to me...I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you to have been there when it happened...but you have to understand that _it is not your fault_. You couldn't have stopped it, nobody could have. None of us blame you, Percy. I promise we don't." Arthur's voice was gruff and gravelly from trying not to cry. "Please come home."

Percy disentangled himself from Arthur after a few moments, trying to compose himself again. He kept wiping at his eyes, even though the tears kept coming. He took a long shaky breath before speaking again.

"I just don't understand why between Fred and me, I'm the one who's still alive...I don't deserve it. I was such a _git_...Fred even told me as much a few months ago...he was right. I'm the one who should be dead, Dad."

After hearing that Arthur could not hold his own tears back any longer.

"Percy, don't you ever say that...it's true Fred didn't deserve to die, but you don't deserve it either. None of us do..."

"But Fred won't get another birthday...he won't get to have another Christmas with the family...he won't get to do any of the things he should be doing. How am I supposed to live with the fact that one of my little brothers is dead when he shouldn't be? How can I live knowing that it's my fault?"

"It_ isn't _your fault, son. You're the only one who believes it. Stop telling yourself that. As for living without Fred, you deal with it at home, with your family. Percy, we're all helping each other. There isn't any way we could get through this if we didn't." He watched as Percy ran a hand through his already messy hair, thinking. "What do you say, Perce?"

Percy's arms fell to his sides as he looked at Arthur again.

"Take me home, Dad..."

Please review (it makes me happy)! Any constructive criticism is welcomed. Thanks. :)


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